Narrative:

Approaching denver we had loaded and briefed the zplyn 3 arrival and planned on the 16L ILS as our best guess of what approach we would receive. ATIS was advertising 16L; 17R and 17L. We also briefed the class B airspace and altitudes using the fix page to ensure we remained above the floor of the class B if we received a visual approach clearance. After checking in with approach control; we were told to expect the visual to 17L. At about the same time we encountered moderate turbulence in the descent and I made the PA for the flight attendants to take their jumpseats. While we both started to set up the necessary changes to the localizer frequency and minimums for 17L; approach control instructed us to maintain 280 kts whereupon the first officer; who was the pilot flying; began making the changes to multiple legs of the arrival to maintain our speed while descending in VNAV. While he was making the changes I was asked for and gave a PIREP on the weather and ride during the descent. I believe it was these distractions that led us to forget to change the runway in the FMC. We did a quick mini-brief on the runway change but did not catch the fact we still had the ILS 16L loaded in the FMC. Within minutes we were descended to 7000; given a turn off the arrival and asked if we had the airport in sight. We both agreed and we're given a heading of 200 to join the final for 17L. Things were happening quickly. The first officer slowed the aircraft; descended and began calling for flaps and the approach checklist which I completed. I also; distracted myself and the first officer a bit by talking about the floor of the class B and being careful not to descend below it. I noticed that just as we were about to cross the final of 17L and asked the first officer to arm the approach mode. By the time he did so; we had crossed the final approach course of 17L and the aircraft flew through the localizer. The first officer seemed unsure what was happening so I took the aircraft; disengaged the autopilot and turned the aircraft back toward 17L. The turn was made between the final approach courses of 17L and 17R. At about the same time; ATC queried us about the overshoot and I explained we were maneuvering back towards the 17L final. At no time was there a conflict with other traffic. It was then that the first officer verbalized he had been looking at 17R (believing that he was seeing 17L) and he'd been further convinced he was not on final yet because the final approach course line on the mfd was actually showing 16L - much farther to the west than the 17L final. This resulted in his delay in arming the MCP approach mode. Once established back on the 17L final; the first officer resumed flying the aircraft and configured for landing within required visual approach criteria. We confirmed the runway again with the localizer; glideslope and our eyeballs using the taxi chart and a normal landing was made.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 flight crew reported on approach to DEN they had the wrong runway programmed in the FMS which caused a deviation on the visual approach.

Narrative: Approaching Denver we had loaded and briefed the ZPLYN 3 arrival and planned on the 16L ILS as our best guess of what approach we would receive. ATIS was advertising 16L; 17R and 17L. We also briefed the Class B airspace and altitudes using the fix page to ensure we remained above the floor of the class B if we received a visual approach clearance. After checking in with approach control; we were told to expect the visual to 17L. At about the same time we encountered moderate turbulence in the descent and I made the PA for the flight attendants to take their jumpseats. While we both started to set up the necessary changes to the localizer frequency and minimums for 17L; approach control instructed us to maintain 280 kts whereupon the FO; who was the pilot flying; began making the changes to multiple legs of the arrival to maintain our speed while descending in VNAV. While he was making the changes I was asked for and gave a PIREP on the weather and ride during the descent. I believe it was these distractions that led us to forget to change the runway in the FMC. We did a quick mini-brief on the runway change but did not catch the fact we still had the ILS 16L loaded in the FMC. Within minutes we were descended to 7000; given a turn off the arrival and asked if we had the airport in sight. We both agreed and we're given a heading of 200 to join the final for 17L. Things were happening quickly. The FO slowed the aircraft; descended and began calling for flaps and the approach checklist which I completed. I also; distracted myself and the FO a bit by talking about the floor of the class B and being careful not to descend below it. I noticed that just as we were about to cross the final of 17L and asked the FO to arm the approach mode. By the time he did so; we had crossed the final approach course of 17L and the aircraft flew through the localizer. The FO seemed unsure what was happening so I took the aircraft; disengaged the autopilot and turned the aircraft back toward 17L. The turn was made between the final approach courses of 17L and 17R. At about the same time; ATC queried us about the overshoot and I explained we were maneuvering back towards the 17L final. At no time was there a conflict with other traffic. It was then that the FO verbalized he had been looking at 17R (believing that he was seeing 17L) and he'd been further convinced he was not on final yet because the final approach course line on the MFD was actually showing 16L - much farther to the west than the 17L final. This resulted in his delay in arming the MCP approach mode. Once established back on the 17L final; the FO resumed flying the aircraft and configured for landing within required visual approach criteria. We confirmed the runway again with the localizer; glideslope and our eyeballs using the taxi chart and a normal landing was made.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.